The Best New Royal Books of 2024 (So Far)

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When Prince Harry released Spare last year, readers couldn't get enough of his stories from inside the palace walls. Now, a year and a half later, 2024 is shaping up to be another major year for royal-related books. From new biographies of Tudor queens to memoirs by both Princess Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, and Kate Middleton's brother, James Middleton, to a cookbook from Queen Camilla's son, there's a bevy of fantastic new books for those interested in the British monarchy. Here, six new royal books currently out—and six more we're looking forward to reading later this year:

A Very Private School: A Memoir

Princess Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, pens a memoir that focuses on his time at Maidwell Hall boarding school. "I spent five years of my childhood in this school, trying to crack the code by which it lived. Now, forty-five years on, I think I’m finally there. I’m writing this book before my memories of half a century ago tip over into that chasm of forgetfulness that shadows old age," Spencer said in a statement. More on his memoir, here.

Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII

Prince Harry wasn't the first member of the House of Windsor to write his memoirs. In fact, decades ago, the former King Edward VIII—who abdicated the throne and became the Duke of Windsor—published his memoir, A King's Story, working with ghostwriter Charles Murphy. Author Jane Marguerite Tippett discovered Murphy's notes, including an early draft of the memoir, and offers new insight into Edward and his decision to abdicate in her book Once a King. Read more about it, here.

The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy

Robert Hardman's new biography takes readers inside the first year of Charles's reign, from September 2022 to 2023. It's an "authoritative" but not authorized biography. "I've been allowed into the royal archives to look at some of the files," he told T&C. "I have been allowed to look at the details on [Queen Elizabeth's] coronation, which has been very useful in comparing it to the coronation we've just seen. I've spoken to the current Prime Minister, the previous Prime Minister. I spoke to various members of the King's family, Queen Camilla's family, staff—past and present." Those he interviewed for the book include Princess Anne and Camilla's sister Annabel Elliot. Read an interview with Robert Hardman, here.

Young Elizabeth: Elizabeth I and Her Perilous Path to the Crown

In Young Elizabeth, Nicola Tallis, a PhD-holding historian and royal expert, dives into the early life of the famed Queen Elizabeth I. "It is little wonder that to writers, historians, novelists and the like, the lure of Elizabeth is irresistible, and I am no exception," Tallis writes in the introduction. "In many ways it is surprising that my attempt to untangle part of her story has taken so long, for thanks to my mother's careful history lessons during childhood, I have been captivated by her—and surrounded by her—since I was very young." It's the first new biography of Elizabeth in over twenty years, and it focuses on her tumultuous journey to the throne—including the death of her mother, Anne Boleyn, and her imprisonment in the Tower of London after a plot to overthrow her half-sister-Mary. Consider it a must-read for anyone who is fascinated by the Tudors.

Power and Glory: Elizabeth II and the Rebirth of Royalty

Alexander Larman's Power and Glory is a history that focuses in on the start of the new Elizabethan age, as Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne following the death of her father, King George VI. It's actually the third book in a series focusing on the royal family: The first, The Crown in Crisis: Countdown to the Abdication, goes in depth on the abdication while the second, The Windsors at War: The King, His Brother, and a Family Divided, focuses on the royal family during World War II. Power and Glory is a fitting close to the trilogy.

The Unlikely Duke

This is a royal-adjacent book, but we're counting it anyway: Harry Beaufort, the 12th Duke of Beaufort, inherited his Dukedom in 2017. His memoir, The Unlikely Duke, takes readers throughout his life, which includes people watching with Queen Elizabeth from a balcony at Windsor Castle. He was inspired to write his memoirs when on vacation in Mustique with Lady Anne Glenconner, a former lady-in-waiting for Queen Elizabeth II and close friend of Princess Margaret, who published her memoir to great success.

Catherine, the Princess of Wales: A Biography of the Future Queen

To be published August 6, 2024

Robert Jobson's new biography of Kate Middleton looks at her life from childhood through her role as Princess of Wales. "Behind that sparkling public smile is a strong-willed woman with a sharp intellect and a tenacious resolve," Jobson said in a statement when the book was announced. "Someday, this middle-class Berkshire girl, will become King William V’s consort, arguably becoming the first true queen of the people, from the people. I’m really pleased to... bring Catherine’s story to light."

The Royal Palaces: Secrets and Scandals

To be published August 20, 2024

Royal historian Kate Williams—who hosted the Secrets of the Royal Palaces TV show on PBS—teamed up with illustrator James Oses for this fun look into 30 palaces, castles, and British royal residences. She writes about famous spots like Hatfield House, where a young Elizabeth I held court before she was Queen; Glamis Castle, the inspiration for Shakespeare's Macbeth; Frogmore House, a royal residence used by Queen Charlotte and others; and Windsor Castle, Queen Elizabeth's final residence.

Lady Pamela: My Mother's Extraordinary Years as Daughter to the Viceroy of India, Lady-in-Waiting to the Queen, and Wife of David Hicks

To be published September 3, 2024

India Hicks's new book, Lady Pamela, is a loving (and gorgeous) tribute to her beloved mother, Lady Pamela Hicks. Lady Pamela was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth; she was also the daughter of the 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma and a first cousin of Prince Philip, and was present for so many key moments in royal history, including Elizabeth's wedding and coronation. Per the publisher, Lady Pamela is "for lovers of history, royal watchers, and all style enthusiasts."

Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life

To be published September 26, 2024

Kate Middleton's younger brother is writing a memoir. Meet Ella, named for his beloved dog, will be published this fall. In the announcement of his memoir, James wrote, "I credit Ella to saving my life when I was eclipsed with Clinical depression, she introduced me to my wife, gave me purpose and loved me unconditionally. I know many of you have your own Ella’s [sic] or might be in need of one now and I hope this book will also help us to talk more openly about our mental health, our need for connection, and the way in which the animals that we think we are taking care are always looking after us in return." More on James Middleton's memoir, here.

Cooking and the Crown: Royal Recipes from Queen Victoria to King Charles III [A Cookbook]

To be published October 22, 2024

Queen Camilla's son, Tom Parker Bowles, is publishing a royal cookbook this year, featuring recipes from the royal kitchens. "As a food history geek, I cannot tell you how exciting it has been to write this book," Parker Bowles said in a statement. "To read original recipes in the royal archive in Windsor, and disappear into the lives and reigns (and eating habits) of sovereigns from Queen Victoria onwards. But this is not about roast cygnet, ortolans and snipe stuffed with foie gras – rather a proper cookbook, filled with recipes that I’ve loved cooking. And hope that you will too." More on Tom Parker Bowles's royal cookbook, here.

Thorns, Lust, and Glory: The Betrayal of Anne Boleyn

To be published November 12, 2024

A new biography of Anne Boleyn is coming this November, from historian Estelle Paranque, author of Blood, Fire & Gold: The Story of Elizabeth I & Catherine de Medici. Per the publisher, "How did this courtier's daughter become the queen of England, and what was it that really tore apart this illustrious marriage, making her the whore of England, an abandoned woman executed on the scaffold?" Paranque's Thorns, Lust, and Glory purports to have the answers—and sets out to understand the "origins of her tragic fate." Count us intrigued.

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